Chair of the Supervisory Board

The organization is at a critical juncture: after four years of innovation funded primarily by grants from Kinderpostzegels and Oranje Fonds, OP now faces the challenge of ensuring long-term financial sustainability. The Mockingbird approach has now been adopted by six of the thirty foster care providers in the Netherlands, but it has not yet become the new standard in foster care. The (revenue) model must be further developed and made sustainable. This requires strategic decisions and the strengthening of partnerships and revenue streams. 

Our core activities 

• Mockingbird 

Mockingbird is a form of foster care in which foster families support one another and form a strong network around the foster child. Six to ten foster families who live close to one another are connected. We call such a network a “constellation.” Hubhome foster parents play a key role in this. These experienced foster parents offer support and a listening ear to the children and adults in the constellation, much like a grandparent would. The hubhome foster parents work together with the Mockingbird caseworker, who is part of the constellation on behalf of the foster care organization and is therefore closely connected to the families. OP guides foster care organizations and municipalities in building constellations of foster families according to the principles of Mockingbird. 

• A Room for a Child 

Through Kamer voor een Kind, OP provides grants to help cover the costs of renovations and home modifications for foster families, thereby enabling more and more long-term foster care placements. To this end, OP collaborates with five different endowment funds. The project clearly meets a growing need among foster families, making additional fundraising necessary. 

• Listening to Children in Foster Care 

In the pilot project “Listening to Children in Foster Care,” OP gained more experience with child participation over the past year. For example, a group of foster children selected five different gifts, from which more than 1,000 other foster children could then choose, allowing them to strengthen their bonds with their own families or with their foster families. The goal is to further strengthen child participation within current projects and, if possible, by developing additional activities, thereby placing the child even more at the center. The Mockingbird constellations offer an excellent opportunity to provide a safe and stimulating environment for children, where their voices are heard and taken seriously. 

AsOndersteuning Pleeggezin (OP), weare looking fora chairperson for our Board of Supervisors who is willing to work with us to drive innovation in foster care. Someone with a deep passion for children and parents and a strong drive to further improve foster care. Someone who isn’t afraid to leverage their own expertise and network to help our foundation make the greatest possible impact. Someone who understands that a strong and supportive network benefits children, parents, and professionals alike—and thereby helps foster care grow and thrive. 

At OP, we work every day to support foster care in doing exactly what it does best: providing care together, based on relationships, connection, and community. These are precisely the qualities that make foster care so wonderful and special in the first place—but taken to the next level. We do this together with a growing number of foster families, foster care organizations, municipalities, and youth care regions across the country. 

Composition of the Supervisory Board 

The Supervisory Board consists of three members who collectively oversee the organization’s policy and strategy. The expertise represented on the current Supervisory Board includes: the social sector, finance, law, foster care, fundraising, and knowledge of municipalities as clients. 

The chair provides direction for oversight, ensures the quality of decision-making, and encourages reflection within the Board of Supervisors. The chair serves as a sparring partner for the executive director on strategic issues and, where appropriate, represents the organization externally. In this phase of growth and professionalization, the chair plays a key role in connecting oversight, management, and societal partners—with an eye for both substance and relationships. 

As of January 1, 2025, the organization transitioned from a collegial management structure to a Supervisory Board model. Day-to-day management is handled by an executive director, who works in collaboration with a small, professional executive team.  

Chairperson's Profile 

We are looking for a unifying leader with strategic insight, administrative experience, and a passion for the children entrusted to our youth care services—someone who can steer the organization in the right direction while also contributing ideas for future-proof growth. 

Responsibilities: 

• Chairs the meetings of the Supervisory Board and oversees the process 
• Serves as a sparring partner for the CEO, particularly on strategic issues 
• Acts as the employer on behalf of the Board of Trustees in relation to the managing director 
• Represents the organization externally as needed, together with the executive director 
• Promotes effective collaboration within the Board of Trustees and between the Board of Trustees and the Executive Director 

Knowledge and experience 

• Management experience in a supervisory role (Supervisory Board) 
• Experience with organizations undergoing transition, preferably with the transition from grants to sustainable financing 
• Experience in professionalizing (smaller) nonprofit organizations 
• Knowledge of and an interest in the social sector, preferably with experience in youth services or foster care 
• A relevant network within the broader social sector (municipalities, youth care regions, foundations, philanthropic organizations), with a network within foster care organizations being a plus. 

Skills 

• Leadership skills: the ability to effectively lead meetings, build consensus, and provide direction 
• Strategic insight: able to contribute to strategic decisions, future planning, and the development of business models 
• Coaching-style leadership: can challenge and support the CEO, and serves as a sounding board 
• Strong interpersonal skills: able to connect various stakeholders (foster care organizations, municipalities, foundations) and build trust, and not afraid to leverage that network 
• Independent and critical: not afraid to ask questions and, when necessary, to go against the grain 
• Innovation-oriented: open to new approaches and methodologies  

Personal characteristics 

The ideal chairperson embodies servant leadership: committed, balanced, and focused on what children, foster families, and professionals need to make a difference together. 

• Empathy for foster families and children in foster care 
• Driven by social impact 
• Pragmatic and hands-on where necessary at this stage of professionalization 
• Honest and trustworthy 
• No conflict of interest (no administrative role with a youth welfare organization or partner organization) 

Practical Information 

• Term of appointment: three years, with the possibility of one reappointment 
• Time commitment: an average of 4 hours per month 
• Meeting frequency: once every 6 weeks, alternating between one hour online and two hours in person 
• Compensation: volunteer allowance (reimbursement of expenses for attending meetings) 
• Insurance: Directors and Officers Liability Insurance in place 

Interested in this great role? 

We ask that you express your interest by November 30 at the latest by emailing info@ondersteuningpleeggezin.nl, addressed to the OP Supervisory Board. In this email, please explain your motivation for this role and describe your background. You may do so by letter and by sharing a resume, or in any other format you prefer. 

Applications for this position are reviewed on an ongoing basis. We aim to conduct interviews with interested candidates in early December, but reserve the right to interview candidates sooner. The chairperson will be appointed as soon as the right candidate is found.